Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are periods of intense anxiety that occur without warning. They can be isolated incidents or can occur frequently, and the cause is usually not easy to identify. The symptoms are often confused with those of other illnesses (pre-heart attack, mini-brain stroke); this is why it’s important to go to the hospital immediately for a doctor’s diagnosis.

Usually four of the following symptoms are present in a panic attack, which usually last about ten minutes. This is usually followed by a period of at least a month of fear of having another attack or of experiencing the following symptoms for brief periods:
•Difficulty breathing or feelings of asphyxia
•Dizziness or fainting
•Palpitations
•Sweating, chills, or suffocation
•Nausea or stomach problems
•Numbness of the hands
•Chest pains
•Surreal feelings or feelings of separation (feeling that you’re leaving your own body”)
•Fear of dieing
•Fear of losing control

Once a panic attack is diagnosed, the patient is prepared for a second time, since the fear of a stroke is diminished.
It’s important to complete all the tests to obtain a correct diagnosis, because if it happens to be a minor brain stroke or heart attack, these can be followed by a more severe incident.

The possible treatments, which can last a few months to reach maximum benefits, include cognitive therapy and psychotherapy and/or medication with anxiolytics or antidepressants, along with a good sleep and eating regime, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants.

The prognosis of good health is usually good as patients learn to avoid situations that contribute to panic attacks and learn to recognize the warnings signs and learn to take the necessary precautions.